New Delhi : The Centre has accorded environmental clearance (EC) to the mega Sita Rama lift irrigation project that aims to divert Godavari River water to irrigate 2.72 lakh hectare in three districts of Telangana.

The Rs 13,384.80 crore project, located in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, recently received the green nod from the Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) Ministry.

The proposed lift irrigation project is being implemented by the Irrigation & CAD Department of the state. It aims to divert river water from upstream of the existing Dummugudem anicut to irrigate 2,72,921 ha (new ayacut of about 1,33,085 ha and stabilisation of about 1,39,836 ha) of Bhadradri Kothagudem, Khammam and Mahabubabad districts.

The project is expected to be completed in three years. News reports indicate that it would lead to submergence of about 1,930 hectare area and 157 villages consisting of 9,696 families.

The environmental clearance for the project would be valid for 10 years. After five years of its commissioning, the state Government may take up a study to independently assess the impact on environment and downstream ecology.

The lift irrigation project seeks to provide water to irrigation for new command as well as to enroute tanks, villages, towns and supplement some of the existing and proposed irrigation schemes.

The total land requirement for the project is around 8,476.84 ha, of which forest land is 1,531.06 ha, private land 4,818.15 ha and government land to the tune of 2,127.63 ha.

The main components of the major project are construction of head regulator only at Dummugudem Anicut on Godavari river, construction of lined canal of about 372 km, construction of four pump houses and delivery cisterns, among others.

Water is one of the world’s gravest risks, according to the Global Risks Report published earlier this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos. And the situation is actually worse than it might seem at first glance.